Silna takes the stand

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I’m a concerned citizen who opposed Measure M, and who opposes the incumbents who supported Measure M. Because of that, I’ve taken a lot of heat. I’ve been slapped with a groundless lawsuit (recently dismissed), my views have been misrepresented, and deceptive ads have been run against me. Now the City’s “ethics consultant,” Ms. Xandra Kayden, is using deception and outright lies to slander me, and skew the election in favor of the incumbents who hired her.

In her Weekly Report of March 8, 2004 (posted on the Malibu City website), Ms. Kayden opined-based on unsubstantiated comments from Jeff Jennings’ campaign manager, and without talking to me-that I was an “agent” of opposition candidates and that I’d broken the law by writing and mailing, at my cost, a letter supporting them. Her report inspired Wade Major’s baseless lawsuit, dismissed after Judge Terry Friedman found no evidence that I was any candidate’s agent.

Ms. Kayden inaccurately reported that the Judge “agreed” I was the candidates’ agent, and suggested that I be prosecuted. But the Judge found the opposite. I’ll share his comments, taken down verbatim by a court reporter, with any interested resident. Ms. Kayden’s recent “correction” didn’t admit the falseness of her earlier report. Last week, in an article about a political poll I financed, Ms. Kayden lied again, saying it was a “push poll” directed at every Malibu voter. A “push poll” is a “fake” poll taken to shape public opinion. It’s short, doesn’t ask for demographics, and polls huge numbers of people. The 20 minute poll I paid for, conducted by a respected, national polling organization, did ask for demographics and canvassed only 158 voters.

It’s wrong for a city “ethics consultant” to lie about the opposition on the city’s website. It’s wrong for that consultant to refuse to publish accurate retractions. I hope that, when you learn the truth, you’ll join me in rejecting the incumbents’ tactics, and will support the opposition: Walt Keller, Jay Liebig and John Mazza.

Ozzie Silna